Metal Church prolongs its return at the heavy metal front with a third album since ‘The Weight Of The World’ (2004). Indeed, the American band around guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof has achieved eternal fame in the eighties with their first two albums, but next followed a career of ups and downs that always reminded me a bit of Annihilator: an amazing start, then lots of line-up problems popped up, a charismatic yet without any doubt very decided guitarist as inspirer and last but not least, creating fine albums last years again.

‘This Present Wasteland’ offers us a bunch of sturdy classic heavy metal tracks that will please the fans grandly. Of course it is not surprising or innovative, but it is proper craftwork. Opener ‘The Company Of Sorrow’ is a vigorous start with sure-fire guitar skills right away. Guitarist Jay Reynolds is replaced by Rick Van Zandt, but it makes not that much difference. Anyway, we are used to more turbulence on the Metal Church line-up front. ‘The Perfect Crime’ has a lovely calm beginning and vocals (with fine choruses) will be rejoiced by Dio adepts. My favourite song is ‘Deeds Of A Dead Soul’. This ‘Iron Maiden meets Led Zeppelin’ track has a mysterious, epic feel and has space for experiment by its length. Then they move to straight forward rocking again with any up tempo tracks in which Ronny brings us back to the eighties with his high-pitched Rob Halford- shrieks. Due to their gracious keyboard layers, songs as ‘A War Never Won’ (starts as a ballad) and especially ‘Congregation’ have a bit reminiscence with Kurdt’s other band Presto Ballet of which a new album is scheduled one of these days. When you have a liking for classical heavy metal, you can buy this newest Metal Church album without risks. Due to his work in the Morrisound Studios with TSO, Kurdt had the opportunity to invite three guest guitarists for ‘This Present Wasteland’.

The Company Of Sorrow (6:37)The Perfect Crime (4:36)Deeds Of A Dead Soul (8:25)Meet Your Maker (5:34)Monster (6:24)Crawling To Extinction (4:10)A War Never Won (5:32)Mass Hysteria (4:40)Breathe Again (5:22)Congregation (5:51)